For a long time I have wanted to get into hunting with dogs, especially when I got my Brittany. He'll be 8 now in November and is retired from the ring after a couple titles and many years (2 undefeated) in the 4-H rings. Ive been working with dogs most of my life and this guy is very important to me.

Alright so, Im nearing 20 and work mostly parttime and go to a community college in MA. I live with my parents still and both arent thrilled about my desire to hunt with my dog, which has kept me away from it. After taking Flash to some powerlines the other day and watching him flush out a HUGE turkey (and him listening to me, etc), I really got on my edge to get into it with him. This fall like weather also has got me My uncle had trained and hunted with his lab and now has a new one he will be getting and hitting the field with in a few weeks. He said we could take Flash out sometime and see what he's got. It would be cool to put a JH title on him I think, but my main goal is to get out and do what he was bred to and really wants to do.

I picked up a book at the Bass Pro Shop in Foxboro (by Gillette stadium, day after the first preseason game) called Gun Dogs by John R. Falk and have been reading that. Any other good reads till my uncle can take us out?

Are you interested in going out and hunting with your pup Or are you interested in field trialing or hunt testing your pup

I hunt with my pups. No field trialing, at least not yet. Let me tell you....if you just want to go out and hunt with your dog, your dog may already have the instinct for his part of the job. I'd focus on getting a shotgun and do some clay pigeon shooting, to hone your own skills. As soon as the first pheasant flushed, my pups knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing.

Don't let your parents preconceptions and misconceptions about hunting put you off of it. I come from a family where nobody hunted before me. Thank goodness I had friends that introduced me to it. Hunting is the joy of my life.....along with my pups. Oh.....and Tracy too. Can't forget about my honey bunny.

I think for the most part I just want to go out with him and maybe get his JH title--hunt tests for that?

Last year around this time I did some target practice with handguns. Actually owning a gun would mean probably storing it at my uncles or a different house at the very least--yes, thats my parents for you. Yet, we had ducks for awhile, so getting some practice game birds may not be a hard feat. Aside from the guns and "youre going to shoot any animal?!", my mom usually has the remark of "he's going to get lost you cant just let him off leash and not know where he is." Ive tested this at the powerlines which are full of thick and often tall cover. Im almost always right on with where he is and he will come to me, stop, turn, slow down, hurry up (maybe a few more things) when told.

He has his AKC CD, CGC, and RN titles, a leg towards his RA and 3 pts towards his CH--the latter two were not going to pursue anymore. In 4-H hhe had many Highest Scoring Obedience Dog and Highest Scoring Combined wins, as well as Best Jr Handler wins, CD, CGC, CH titles. Needless to say, hes all set with the ring and to tell you the truth so am I. Ive always loved fields more.

The requirements for a JH are pretty easy to attain for most Brittanys. They really just need to hunt, find a bird, point it, and show that they're trainable (that you can call them off a chase when the bird flushes, or that they don't chase at all as examples).

The few hunt tests that I've been to provide an abundance of birds to be found. Heck, all I had to do is stand in the bird field and listen and I could have found them , so with a little exposure to birds, I'd think your dog would be able to earn his JH in just a few weekends.

I would suggest you find a hunt test in your area and go and watch. There is one at Sharps Farm in Hopkinton NH, sponsored by the Northern New England Brittany club on 9/20.

I am glad to see you are interested in getting into upland hunting.
My hats off to your Uncle for offering to mentor you are your dog.
At this point since you probably have all the commands down I think the most important thing to do is to properly introduce him to the gun. It would be a shame to just take him out, shoot a 12 ga. over his head, see a bad reaction and go "Oh well, he must be gun shy".

As far as books are concerned "The Brittany, Amateurs Training with Professionals" by Martha H. Greenlee and David A. Webb is a good one.

"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog."- Edward Hoagland

My uncle is getting his new lab from the kennel Sept 7th and said the following week she will be spayed and then he will be taking her out and Im going with him. After that, we'll tlk about what to do with my Britt Flash.

I ordered the book, it looks good; thanks!

He does pretty much have the commands, but not in whistle form. and to see if he is gunshy or not, thatll have to be something Ill do with my uncle as my parents are agaisnt guns and I doubt theyd let me get one despite that fact that im also 20 and so on. we'll see what happens.

Let just say, Flash is not gun shy, not yet anyway. That is something that is created by poor introduction to loud noises.
Who knows maybe after you get the hang of it you can have your Dad walk along and watch Flash doing his thing and atleast he will learn an appreciation of what you are doing,
GOOD LUCK.

Heres a little teaser video of my six yo Jack who has become the best hunting partner I ever had .
Never mind the poor exhibition by the shooter

Yeah I dont want to "wing" introducing stuff to him (like guns) and end up messing up and effecting him in a bad way. So, Ill read that book along with the one I have and wait for my uncle, and if his breeder gets back to me.

Thats a cool video!!! I cant wait for that to be Flash...

We went to the beach the other night with my friends chessie, here are a few pics